Amateur-built S-21 OUTBOUND accident near Madisonville, Tennessee, January 19, 2026
On January 19, 2026 at about 7:43 pm local time, a 2025 amateur-built S-21 OUTBOUND, registered N88WL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Madisonville, Tennessee (Monroe County airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to compensate for gusty crosswind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2026 · about 7:43 pm local time
- Place
- Madisonville, Tennessee · Monroe County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-21 OUTBOUND, built 2025
- Registration
- N88WL · registry record · serial 02210165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting a normal landing in an 8-knot right crosswind that was gusting to 14 knots. During the landing the airplane departed the left side of the runway and came to rest near a berm. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 610 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 545 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 25, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 4, 2025; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IOX-340-BDEY2 (piston); 17 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DKX Knoxville, Tn TN at 5:43 pm
- Destination: 5TN4 Greenback TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,643 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from MNV
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMNV 191935Z AUTO 32008G14KT 5SM HZ CLR 04/M12 A3022 RMK A01=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Rans S-21, N88WL
Photograph 2 – Left side of fuselage
Photograph 3 – Right side of fuselage
Photograph 4 – Broken frame on left side of fuselageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 14, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA099.